Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch reveals leaders and lays down challenge for Kalvin Phillips

Appointed on Monday as Marcelo Bielsa’s replacement, Marsch has spent his first few days getting to know players he had already been tracking in advance of what was initially planned to be a summer succession.

Marsch has had a couple of days in which to work with the team and introduce his style of play.

He has praised the squad for the speed of their adaptation and their attentiveness and energy during training sessions and team meetings, although concedes the most important thing is to show it all in games, starting at Leicester City today.

The American will be aided in his attempt to steer the Whites away from the relegation zone by a strong leadership group in the dressing room, men who helped change the culture among the playing staff at Leeds and underpinned the Premier League promotion drive.

“There has been a bunch of great young men, speaking with Liam Cooper and Luke Ayling, it’s easy to see that they are comfortable in front of the group, that they are comfortable in leadership roles,” said Marsch.

“I think Adam Forshaw has also been fantastic, there is a guy like Patrick Bamford that has a lot of personality. Stuart Dallas, for me, is one of the hardest workers and strongest young men who is clear with himself and clear with how to work for a team every day.”

Marsch added to that group Rodrigo, a 30-year-old who has had more top-flight, international and European experience than anyone else in the Leeds side. The head coach also likes what he sees in the youngsters coming through the ranks.

“Rodrigo is an an intelligent young man who wants to help in every way and then there is a lot of positive energy in a lot of the young guys and a lot of what I have done in my managerial career is about managing young players and helping them achieve their highest potential so I have excitement in this group and excitement to be here,” he said.

One player he wants to see taking on more responsibility when it comes to leadership is the soon-to-return Phillips.

Leeds’ England international is back on the grass and stepping up his recovery from a hamstring operation. He’s had minor, expected, set-backs along the way but Leeds are anticipating his return in the next couple of weeks.

Phillips has, in the past, admitted that he’s not among the most vocal members of the team although he has led by example with his performances since Bielsa transformed him from a box-to-box player into a holding midfielder.

His dominance in the Championship was sufficient to attract Gareth Southgate’s interest and once Phillips broke into the Three Lions side he was rarely out of it last season, playing almost all of their Euro 2020 campaign en route to the final.

Marsch sees the defensive midfielder as integral to his plans at Thorp Arch and wants him to be a central figure.

“I want to challenge Kalvin Phillips to take a bigger role within the team and he is obviously so important, getting him healthy but also getting him to take a bigger role in the team will I think be massively important as well,” said the new head coach.

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